*oster*

‖ [ L. a (ab) + posterior latter. ] 1. (Logic) Characterizing that kind of reasoning which derives propositions from the observation of facts, or by generalizations from facts arrives at principles and definitions, or infers causes from effects. This is the reverse of a priori reasoning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Philos.) Applied to knowledge which is based upon or derived from facts through induction or experiment; inductive or empirical. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. One whose occupation is to post handbills or posters in public places. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Elec.) An instrument for regulating the electro-motive force in an alternating-current circuit; -- so called because used to “boost”, or raise, the pressure in the circuit. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. an enthusiastic supporter. [ PJC ]

3. the first stage of a multistage rocket, providing all or part of the driving force at lift-off and until the second stage ignites, whether or not the booster stage is detached after the fuel is spent. Also called booster rocket. In some cases, a booster has been used to assist the takeoff of airplanes. [ PJC ]

4. (Med.) an immunizing medication given after an initial immunizing treatment, to provide increased or extended immunity. Also called booster dose. When in the form of an injection, it may be called a booster shot. [ PJC ]

5. any auxiliary device or part of a device to provide increased power, force, or effectiveness, as with a pumping device. [ PJC ]

6. (Mil.) an explosive charge which is more powerful than a primer, used in conjunction with a primer to assure detonation of the main charge. Integrated blasting caps containing separate compartments for primer and booster are used as detonators for certain explosives. [ PJC ]

‖n. [ NL. ] (Zool.) One of the Conirostres. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a steroid compound produced by the adrenal cortex, or a synthetic analog of such a compound.
Syn. -- corticoid. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. any of several steroid compounds secreted by the adrenal cortex; they are involved in regulating water and electrolyte balance in the body. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Abbrev. of costermonger. ] One who hawks about fruit, green vegetables, fish, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Costard. ] An apple seller; a hawker of, or dealer in, any kind of fruit or vegetables; a fruiterer. [ Written also costardmonger. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A device that removes ice or frost (as from a windshield or a refrigerator or the wings of an airplane).
Syn. -- deicer. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n.; pl. Dentirostres [ NL., fr. L. dens, dentis, tooth + rostrum bill, beak: cf. F. dentirostre. ] (Zool.) A dentirostral bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Endo- + sternum. ] (Zoöl.) The part of each apodeme derived from the intersternal membrane in Crustacea and insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Entosterna [ NL. See Ento-, and Sternum. ] (Anat.) See Entoplastron. -- En`to*ster"nal a. [1913 Webster]

n. a plant sterol that is converted into vitamin D by ultraviolet radiation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. To be nourished or trained up together. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fostered p. pr. & vb. n. Fostering. ] [ OE. fostren, fr. AS. fōster, fōstor, food, nourishment, fr. fōda food. √75. See Food. ] 1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster genius. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. fōster, fōstor, nourishment. See Foster, v. t. ] Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; -- applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc., as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foster babe or
Foster child, an infant or child nursed or raised by a woman not its mother, or bred by a man not its father. --
Foster brother,
Foster sister, one who is, or has been, nursed at the same breast, or brought up by the same nurse as another, but is not of the same parentage. --
Foster dam, one who takes the place of a mother; a nurse. Dryden. --
Foster earth, earth by which a plant is nourished, though not its native soil. J. Philips. --
Foster father, a man who takes the place of a father in caring for a child. Bacon. --
Foster land. (a) Land allotted for the maintenance of any one. [ Obs. ] (b) One's adopted country. --
Foster lean [ foster + AS. læn a loan See Loan. ], remuneration fixed for the rearing of a foster child; also, the jointure of a wife. [ Obs. ] Wharton. --
Foster mother, a woman who takes a mother's place in the nurture and care of a child; a nurse. --
Foster nurse, a nurse; a nourisher. [ R. ] Shak. --
Foster parent, a foster mother or foster father. --
Foster son, a male foster child. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A forester. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The care of a foster child; the charge of nursing. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, fosters. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. fōstorling. ] A foster child. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Food; nourishment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large bedstead with tall posts at the corners to support a canopy or curtains. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. hectostère; Gr. &unr_; hundred + F. stère. ] A measure of solidity, containing one hundred cubic meters, and equivalent to 3531.66 English or 3531.05 United States cubic feet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) same as shingles; -- a form of herpes caused by the varicella-zoster virus. [ PJC ]

n. (Med.) same as varicella-zoster virus. [ PJC ]

a. [ Holo + Gr.stereo`s solid. ] Wholly solid; -- said of a barometer constructed of solid materials to show the variations of atmospheric pressure without the use of liquids, as the aneroid. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Hyo- + ternal. ] (Anat.) (a) Between the hyoid bone and the sternum, or pertaining to them; infrahyoid; as, the hyosternal region of the neck. (b) Pertaining to the hyosternum of turtles. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Hyo- + sternum. ] (Anat.) See Hyoplastron. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. L. Hyposterna E. Hyposternums [ Pref. hypo- + sternum. ] (Anat.) See Hypoplastron.

n. [ F. kilostere. See Kilogram, and Stere. ] A cubic measure containing 1000 cubic meters, and equivalent to 35, 315 cubic feet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. L. Longirostres E. Longirosters [ L. longus long + rostrum beak: cf. F. longirostre. ] (Zool.) One of the Longirostres. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the mesosternum. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Meso- + sternum. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Anat.) The middle portion, or body, of the sternum. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The ventral piece of the middle segment of the thorax in insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the omosternum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Omo- + sternum. ] (Anat.) (a) The anterior element of the sternum which projects forward from between the clavicles in many batrachians and is usually tipped with cartilage. (b) In many mammals, an interarticular cartilage, or bone, between the sternum and the clavicle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., Our Father. ] 1. The Lord's prayer, so called from the first two words of the Latin version. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) A beadlike ornament in moldings. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Angling) A line with a row of hooks and bead-shaped sinkers. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mining) An elevator of an inclined endless traveling chain or belt bearing buckets or shelves which ascend on one side loaded, and empty themselves at the top. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Paternoster pump,
Paternoster wheel, a chain pump; a noria. --
Paternoster while, the space of time required for repeating a paternoster. Udall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; fifty. ] (Gr. Antiq.) An officer in the Spartan army commanding fifty men. Mitford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A large bill or placard intended to be posted in public places. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who posts bills; a billposter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who posts, or travels expeditiously; a courier. “Posters of the sea and land.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A post horse. “Posters at full gallop.” C. Lever. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. posterior, compar. of posterus coming after, from post after. See Post-. ] 1. Later in time; hence, later in the order of proceeding or moving; coming after; -- opposed to prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hesiod was posterior to Homer. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Situated behind; hinder; -- opposed to anterior. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Anat.) At or toward the caudal extremity; caudal; -- in human anatomy often used for dorsal. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) On the side next the axis of inflorescence; -- said of an axillary flower. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. postériorité. ] The state of being later or subsequent; as, posteriority of time, or of an event; -- opposed to priority. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Subsequently in time; also, behind in position. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. The hinder parts, as of an animal's body. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. posteritas: cf. F. postérité. See Posterior. ] 1. The race that proceeds from a progenitor; offspring to the furthest generation; the aggregate number of persons who are descended from an ancestor of a generation; descendants; -- contrasted with ancestry; as, the posterity of Abraham. [ 1913 Webster ]

If [ the crown ] should not stand in thy posterity. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Succeeding generations; future times. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their names shall be transmitted to posterity. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their names shall be transmitted to posterity. Smalridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. posterne, posterle, F. poterne, fr. L. posterula, fr. posterus coming after. See Posterior. ] 1. Originally, a back door or gate; a private entrance; hence, any small door or gate. [ 1913 Webster ]

He by a privy postern took his flight. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Out at the postern, by the abbey wall. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Fort.) A subterraneous passage communicating between the parade and the main ditch, or between the ditches and the interior of the outworks. Mahan. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Back; being behind; private. “The postern door.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

- (&unr_;). A combining form meaning posterior, back; as, postero-inferior, situated back and below; postero-lateral, situated back and at the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. praeposterus; prae before + posterus coming after, latter. See Posterior. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Having that first which ought to be last; inverted in order. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The method I take may be censured as preposterous, because I thus treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Contrary to nature or reason; not adapted to the end; utterly and glaringly foolish; unreasonably absurd; perverted. “Most preposterous conclusions.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preposterous ass, that never read so far! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Absurd; perverted; wrong; irrational; foolish; monstrous. See Absurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Pre*pos"ter*ous*ly, adv. -Pre*pos"ter*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]